S-300 Supply Will Help Regional Stability

Iran’s Defense Minister, Hossein Dehqan, on Monday welcomed Russia’s decision to lift a ban on the delivery of S-300 anti-missile rocket systems to his country, claiming the decision would help maintain stability in the region.

 

“The expansion of cooperation [with Russia] and improving cooperation with other neighboring countries in various fields can be very effective in establishing sustainable stability and security in the region,” Dehqan said, according to Iran’s PressTV.

 

“Extra-regional threats and the spread of terrorism….have increased the need to further expand cooperation [between the two countries]…,” he added.

 

Russia signed a contract in 2007 to supply Iran with five S-300 advanced missile batteries, which can be used against aircraft or guided missiles, at a cost of $800 million.

 

In 2010, Russia’s then-president Dmitry Medvedev cancelled the deal, after the United States and Israel applied strong pressure on him. Both countries worry that the S-300 would make Iran less vulnerable to attack by either one of them, and motivate Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

 

The Commander of Iran’s Air Defense Forces, Farzad Ismail, said in early 2014 that the missile “Bawer” (Faith) made ​​in Iran, has reached the operational phase of development, and that it features more advanced capabilities than the S-300 Russian-made missile.

 

Read More: Iran: S-300 Supply Will Help Regional Stability – Middle East – News – Arutz Sheva